Pondering real tactic towards SGBV-ictory

Aswe turn on the television to watch our favorite sports teams compete, it is easy to get caught up in the thrill of the game and forget about the off-field issues that plague the world of sports. But for many studentathletes, the reality of their lives is far from the glamorized version we see on TV. In fact, sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) is a disturbing and all-too-common occurrence within the student-athlete community— one that demands our attention and action. From high-profile cases that make headlines to the countless stories that go untold, this is a devastating problem that seems to be a never-ending cycle.

Male sports culture has come under fire for tolerating toxic masculinity and aggression towards women. The phrase “locker room chatter” was even coined and became widely used to describe the behavior of male sportsmen who objectify females among their colleagues, and an element of this is sexual gender-based violence among the student-athlete community that goes on behind the decades-old sporting events. It is a disturbing reality that individuals within this community— who are often seen as role models and leaders— are capable of committing such heinous crimes.

One instance that caused clamor among the student-athlete community was Forthsky Padrigao’s case. The esteemed point guard of Season 85 UAAP champion Ateneo de Manila University Men’s Basketball Team, has been accused of sexual assault by a

NIEL ZSUN JOHN S. VEGA

volleyball player Pia Ildefonso. Several Instagram stories were shared by the infuriated daughter of two-time PBA MVP Danny Ildefonso.

It’s never right to cheat on your partner. It’s never right to manipulate and gaslight your partner.

It’s never right to take advantage of a woman, especially when they’re in a vulnerable state. Lastly, it’s never right to spread and leak any personal content of your friends without their consent,” P. Ildefonso wrote on Instagram.

In 2021, a Twitter thread of 15 women provided proof of the sexual and genderbased abuse they had endured at the hands of Padrigao. The purported victims, however, have now taken down their accounts or erased their tweets.

Statements pledging investigations and stressing a safe place for gender minorities help to diffuse problems. But at what point do individuals in authority understand that a whole system has to be changed when similarly rooted issues come out every so often and names start to trend on Twitter every year? How can you combat a culture that is so deeply ingrained in the sports that we like watching? There is no correct response. Justice for women is unstable and it is imperative that individuals initiate these challenging dialogues.

It is crucial that steps are taken to address and prevent any form of violence within the student-athlete community. This can include implementing comprehensive consent education and bystander intervention programs, as well as providing support and resources for survivors. It is also important that there are clear and fair disciplinary processes in place to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. This sends a message that sexual gender-based violence will not be tolerated and helps to create a safer and more inclusive community for all students, including student-athletes.

As the student-athlete community continues to grapple with the issue of sexual gender-based violence, it is vital that the human toll that these crimes have on their victims is remembered. Behind every statistic and headline is a person who has been traumatized, a person whose sense of safety and trust has been shattered. It is a game within a game to stand with these survivors and do everything in order to prevent future instances of violence. Only by acknowledging the gravity of this issue and taking decisive action and accountability can everyone become victorious in creating a safer and more equitable community for all.